Will my dog like it? Raw Food Diet Dogs Love

Have you ever been so confused over all the ingredients that are in our dog’s food?

Is this prepared bag dog food actually healthy for them?

I have often wondered this as I shopped what would best food for my man’s best friend. I have a good friend that feeds his dog a diet that dogs’ would see in the wild. This diet consist of raw meat and grasses and grains.

His dog loves this diet. His dog is very trim and healthy; and full of energy. I want this for my dogs.

Today, pets are more than just pets. They are an active member of the family.

Each dog owner wants the best for their family and will do what it takes to provide that life for them if it keeps them healthy and provides them with a long life span as possible.

So how do I get started in feeding my dog a more natural diet of food, how will my dog benefit, and what mistakes are there to avoid?

We will discuss this as I search for that better life for my dogs’.

How do I start my dog on a raw diet?

As I did my research for a better diet for my dogs’, I came across 10 simple rules for the owner to know when getting started on a raw food diet dogs’ will love.

1. Calcium, it’s a must for the raw food diet.
   1. Not all meats are good for dogs’. Some meats have too much phosphorus and not enough calcium. Any raw diet for dogs’ needs at a minimum of 12-15% calcium (bone) included. This will aid in the development for puppies and maintain the proper calcium level that every dog needs.
   2. Good sources of calcium for dogs’ raw diet are:
      1. Chicken thighs, necks, or wings
      2. Turkey necks
      3. Lamb or goat necks or ribs
      4. Whole rabbit or whole fish
2. Multi-Vitamins for dogs are in the organs you feed them.
   1. Organs are the nutrient-rich parts of the animal and without them, your dog could be missing some important vitamins.
   2. Up to 30% of organ meats need to be in your dog diet.
   3. Good source of organ meats are liver, kidney, brains, or lungs.
3. Lean meats are a must.
   1. When feeding you dog meats, make sure they are very lean and only make up about 5% of the meal in this meat.
   2. Chicken and beef heart are good sources for this lean meat diet.
4. Keep the fat out of the diet.
   1. Fat, just like your diet, is not good for your dog. Too much fat displaces the minerals and vitamins that your dog needs in their raw food diet.
   2. Good sources of low fat foods are fish, rabbit, and chicken without the skin.
5. Grasses or berries are the fruits and vegetables for the dog.
   1. Just like their dog ancestors, dog will need grains and berries to provide prebiotics and lutein in their diets.
      1. Prebiotics come from plant fibers and feed mirobugs that live in your dogs’ system.
      2. Luteins just like humans are good for eyes and skin.
6. No starch in this diet please.
   1. Starches only add calories to the dog’s diet. Like his human counterpart, this is not good for a healthy life. This will cause unwanted weight gain and possible insulin irregularities.
7. Every dog loves a variety in their diet.
   1. Don’t forget to feed some of the “weird and icky things” such as chicken, duck or turkey feet, beef trachea, tails, lung, testicles and pizzles.
   2. Parts like beef trachea and poultry feet are loaded with natural chondroitin and glucosamine, which help to build healthy joints
8. A complete and efficient balance for my pet.
   1. Make sure you have an efficient balance of all the foods we have discussed to this point. Balance is everything!
9. Dogs love fish too.
   1. Do not feed your dog fish oil, but do feed them fish. About once a week will keep this to about 5% of their diet.
10. When to feed and how much is very important.
    1. This can vary by the breed of the dog. I have a Pomeranian that only eat when she is hungry (grazing). Some dogs’ will eat when food is around and these dogs’ need to be regulated more carefully.

Follow these ten steps and you are off to a great start in feeding a raw food diet to your dog.

How to transition your dog for raw feedings.

Contrary to popular belief, it is not recommended mixing dry dog food with the new raw food.

The best way to transition you dog to raw food diet is:

1. The first day, do not feed your dog food, just water.
2. The second day, give your dog 1/4 of the expected daily feeding of the new raw food.
3. The third day, give your dog 1/2 of the expected daily feeding of the new raw food.
4. The fourth day, give your dog 3/4 of the expected daily feeding of the new raw food.
5. The fifth day, give you dog the full serving size of their new rare food diet.

For the first couple of weeks you dog’s stomach may need to adjust to the new diet. If you dog becomes sick, it may be a sign that your dog’s body is detoxing from their previous diet. The detox process usually ends within a week or two.

Giving your dog pure pumpkin from the can (not the pie filling) will work magic in settling the dogs’ stomach and hardening the loose stools. Hopefully this won’t happen and your dog will adjust without problems.

Now your dog is on their new raw food diet for their healthy life!

Benefits of the raw food diet for dogs’.

There can be many very noticeable advantages of giving your dog a raw food diet:

• Firmer stools
• Improved digestion
  
• Healthier skin and coat
• Reduced allergy symptoms
• Better weight management
  
• Better skin & coat
• Stronger immune system
  
• Better overall health
• More energy
  
• More muscle mass

For this type of diet to be successful, you the owner need to be very consistent in your preparation and balance of the meals. Any inconsistency can upset the dogs’ system.

What is the downside of the raw food diet?

This diet takes time and effort on part of the owner. It is always convenient to just buy prepared food and give it to your dog, but as you have read, there are great advantages in the raw food diet for your dog.

Just like for human food, you have to be careful of bacterial contamination. So storage and preparation cleanliness are very important.

The real risk of food-borne disease is actually greater for a dog’s human caretakers — not the dog.

Yet with proper care and handling, this risk can be dramatically reduced.

I want the best for my dog!

I and everyone wants the best for their pets and furry friends.

Here we showed the advantages of the raw food diet, how your dog will benefit, and what to avoid when preparing and feeding this diet to your best friend, your dog.

I have other articles on healthier lifestyle for your dogs that you will be interested in reading.

You can read about supplements and training.

I hope you found this article interesting and helpful as much as I did when writing it.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave those below and I will get back to you ASAP.